Just David
by secret agent sara
Summary: Stuck in the past, waiting for the future to hurry. When Hatter isn't Hatter anymore. He's David. Just David.
1. Prologue

**Dis: Hi, No. I don't own Alice or no matter how much this pains me to say, Hatter. I just have the idea. **

**A/N: I'm sorry this is so short. D: **

Her mind was in a whirl. As it had been since she had been to Wonderland and back. An hour? No…it couldn't have been. She sighed as her mother walked into her room. It had been days. It had been so real. So solid…The pain, the thoughts, the feel. Him. She couldn't have just imagined him. The brown eyes, purple pants, the grin that only had one dimple, the hair that stuck up and curled around his hat, the childish way he challenged her. She snapped out of it when her mother spoke.

"What's all this?" she looked at her, Alice could see the sadness in her eyes.

"I don't need to look for dad anymore." She smiled, trying to lighten the mood. Alice walked to her bed, bending over to slide the box of little things of her dad. "Time to move on…" The buzz of the doorbell stopped the conversation from moving forward.

"Oh! I almost forgot." Her mother started, moving out of the room to get the door. "The construction worker who found you wanted to stop by and see how you were doing, very sweet." A smile stayed on her face as she left Alice to get the door.

Alice sighed. She wasn't in the mood to talk to the guy. Not that she wasn't thankful for him. She could have been a lot worse if he hadn't got to her. But, now wasn't the best time.

"Alice?" her mother's voice rang from down the hall. "Come met David!"

Shaking her head Alice slowly walked down the hall. Knowing that she would have to put on a fake smile to not be rude. She kept her eyes down, not wanting to make eye contact at first sight. Her hands found each other, keeping her eyes busy. Alice reached the end of the hall. The first thing she did see was the shoes. His shoes.

"Hatter!" she breathed. Her legs swept her across the room. She threw her arms around him as she slammed into him. Alice hugged him tightly, breathing hard.

She waited for his arms to return the favor.

But they never came. They stayed by his sides. She felt him tense against her for the first time. Alice quickly stepped back, eyebrows furrowed together. She looked at his face. He was there. But, then again not at all.

His hair was combed and showed no sign of hat hair. Cleanly shaved.

"I'm sorry…" the voice rang in her ears. It was /his/ voice. "I'm David."

But, his eyes told a different story.

**A/N: THIS IS SO SHORT WAT. I'm sorry, again, but uhm, I'm working on a real chapter. Hopefully that will satisfy you to actually like this. Because now, even through the computer I can tell you are walking away. **


	2. Chapter One

_**6 Months Earlier**_

"Hatter, there's no way of knowing you'll come out in her time!" Jack yelled after him They were walking through Hatter's mangled tea shop. Chairs were flipped over; broken glass was all over the floor. Hatter stopped. He felt Jack bump into him, not expecting him to have halted just then. Hatter turned.

"What?" he watched as Jack nodded, not wanting to repeat what he had said. "but, you came in her time. And she went back to her time. Otherwise she would have been back already. You sent all those people back to theirs!" his voice was rising in anger now.

"The looking glass...It doesn't just send you to the time you want. It doesn't work like that. If you stepped into it you would fall right back into Wonderland. You have to have something from the Oyster world. I had Alice's father's watch with me. She was an Oyster herself, so it knew to send her back to her time." Jack watched as Hatter's face fell. "You don't happen to have anything of hers do you?"

Hatter shook his head. His shoulders falling as well having to admit this.

"So, you could come out at any time. From before Alice or after her." Jack said, picking up a chair, turning it back over. He sat down, but only for a moment. A suit walked in, telling him that his visit was over. "I'm coming…one moment." The suit nodded before leaving.

"I have to go back. There's nothing left for me here!" Hatter said, kicking glass from the floor where he stood. "She's…She's all I've got." Jack didn't answer. He stood there. Looking around them.

"Hatter, are you sure about this? I could get you close to her time period…but there's no telling."

Hatter held no hesitation. Seeing her would get him through the days. If it was before they met, that is. If it was after, he could talk to her anytime. He would just have to apologize and explain why he was so late.

"Yes." He said. Jack nodded. He would need to make the arrangements. Get everything into correct order.

"Fine." Jack sighed. Not entirely wanting him to go. Not that he was still in love with Alice. He had Duchess…and she was all he needed. But, something told him that Hatter wasn't going to be happy the way things were going to play out. He didn't want Hatter ruining the newly found peace between the worlds now. "You'll have be staying at my old place in the Oyster world. Give me two days to gather everything together. You'll be on your way in no time." Jack turned to go, Hatter sighed as he started to walk back to his office, hoping at least one other hat was still there…

"And Hatter," Jack said making Hatter spin back around. "If you come out before she met you, make sure not to interfere. You could ruin everything." Before Hatter could open his mouth to reply Jack walked out.

Hatter shook his head, walking back to his office. The furniture was gone. The only thing that stayed was the grass, and his left over clothing spread out across it. He rolled his eyes as he started to pick up everything up. He got a chair from the main room and returned to sit in his office. He breathed in deeply, thinking things over.

How long would he have to wait to see her? To be able to talk to her, to hear her voice, or make her laugh, to touch her make sure she was real. Now, he wasn't sure if he could do it. What about if he came after she came back? She would think he had abandoned her. Thought him happy to be rid of her. If she would be mad at him for taking so long to finally come say hello. Or if he came back really late? If Alice already had someone else. A life without him. Nothing to worry about. He would come in and mess everything up.

Not that he had anything else to do for himself here. After all the Oysters had gone home. No ore emotions to sell, the tea shop gone. Alice's world could give him a job, but would he really want to stay there knowing she was there as well, but he couldn't speak to her yet, or that she wouldn't want to see him. His head hurt just thinking about it.

He looked up to see someone standing over him. He blinked, an eyebrow raising.

"What are you doing in here?" But before he got an answer the lights went out.

_Now_

"Alice…are you all right?" her mother's voice broke her from the trance his eyes where keeping her in. Alice stepped away from him. Hatter. No, David. "Do you know David?"

Alice's voice was caught in her throat, she wasn't able to make a sound.

"I'm sorry…I was the guy who called you to the hospital. You ran into the building. Fell off the ledge, hit your head." He said, a smile flickering on his face as her face brightened up. But, not because of him because she saw he had a hat in his hands.

"I…uh, I'm sorry. You just…look like someone I knew. "Alice said quickly before causing anymore embarrassment. "I'm Alice."

"Right, you already know who I am." He said, holding out his hand cautiously. She could tell he was afraid of another bear hug from her. She softly took his hand. She knew it was his. She felt the curves she had felt before when he kept her from feeling like she was going to fall off the edges of the buildings in Wonderland. She pulled back quickly, knowing she had held his grip for longer than needed.

"Well…I was just ,making sure you were feeling better." David said, turning to her mother.

"Oh, I'm doing perfectly fine! Thanks to you." Alice said before her mother could get out a word.

"That's great." He said, he cleared his throat, feeling a bit awkward now. "Uhm, well I guess I better…" he looked towards the door.

"No!" Alice yelled. "I mean…stay for dinner? It's the least we can do. I mean, you did save me and all." Alice bit her lip. Hoping for the answer she was looking for. She watched as the one dimpled grin spread across his face.

"Yeah, thank you." Alice let out a sigh of relief. She glanced at her mother, watching as she raised her eyebrows before walking into the kitchen to get an extra plate to set a place for him at the table. Alice turned back to David. She watched his face as he looked around apartment. She pulled him across to sit on the couch. She stayed a comfortable distance away, not wanting to scare him off.

"So…David." She began.


	3. Chapter Two

_Now_

"Alice…are you all right?" her mother's voice broke her from the trance his eyes where keeping her in. Alice stepped away from him. Hatter. No, David. "Do you know David?"

Alice's voice was caught in her throat, she wasn't able to make a sound.

"I'm sorry…I was the guy who called you to the hospital. You ran into the building. Fell off the ledge, hit your head." He said, a smile flickering on his face as her face brightened up. But, not because of him because she saw he had a hat in his hands.

"I…uh, I'm sorry. You just…look like someone I knew. "Alice said quickly before causing anymore embarrassment. "I'm Alice."

"Right, you already know who I am." He said, holding out his hand cautiously. She could tell he was afraid of another bear hug from her. She softly took his hand. She knew it was his. She felt the curves she had felt before when he kept her from feeling like she was going to fall off the edges of the buildings in Wonderland. She pulled back quickly, knowing she had held his grip for longer than needed.

"Well…I was just ,making sure you were feeling better." David said, turning to her mother.

"Oh, I'm doing perfectly fine! Thanks to you." Alice said before her mother could get out a word.

"That's great." He said, he cleared his throat, feeling a bit awkward now. "Uhm, well I guess I better…" he looked towards the door.

"No!" Alice yelled. "I mean…stay for dinner? It's the least we can do. I mean, you did save me and all." Alice bit her lip. Hoping for the answer she was looking for. She watched as the one dimpled grin spread across his face.

"Yeah, thank you." Alice let out a sigh of relief. She glanced at her mother, watching as she raised her eyebrows before walking into the kitchen to get an extra plate to set a place for him at the table. Alice turned back to David. She watched his face as he looked around apartment. She pulled him across to sit on the couch. She stayed a comfortable distance away, not wanting to scare him off.

"So…David." She began.

His gaze fell back on her. Big brown eyes paying every bit of attention to her. Alice kept for touching him, from scooting closer. She stayed where she was, but she knew she wouldn't be able to keep it that way. She watched him, seeing the differences and similarities. Every bit of her said that he was Hatter. But, he just didn't know it. She cleared her throat realizing she was staring again.

"So, uh…thank you." She smiled. "For…helping me." David nodded, honestly not knowing what to say. This, apparently, wasn't like him. "What's new with you?"

"Nothing really." He began not wanting to dump everything on this girl. He noticed her looking at him in an odd way. Her eyes would travel around his face. Mostly they stayed on his eyes. He tried not to notice it, but she wasn't very good on hiding it. Though, he couldn't help but do the same to her. Something held a memory of her in his mind. This was odd because he hadn't much of those these days.

"I've been wanting to ask you, why were you in the building in the first place?" David asked, an eyebrow raising. Alice froze. She couldn't say. He would think she was crazy, even if he already knew. What if he never stopped by again? What if he just blew out of her life because she made herself out to be a crazy nut.

"I was trying to run after my…boyfriend." She said, finally. She caught his wince. Smiling a bit though at his laugh.

"Really? And where is he now?" David asked, still smiling. Alice shrugged, trying not to laugh herself. But, hearing his…she couldn't completely help it.

"That's the thing, I don't know." Alice looked down. It was a total lie. She had been running after Jack. Who was her boyfriend…"I'm sure he's in a better place now." She nodded. She looked back up to see him looking at her. His eyebrows were knitted together.

"What do you mean….?" David asked. An anger started to rise in him. He didn't exactly know why, but something about the fact that a guy had ru out on her made his jaw clench and his fingers curl into a ball. He knew it was wrong though. He had barley known her for ten minutes, but it felt like he had spent a life time with her…

"Uh, I guess he had a reason to go." She tried smiling. "One that he needed to take, knowing it would make him and I both happy." Alice watched him carefully. How his hands gripped his hat tightly, his jaw set in a line. She smiled, the thought of jealousy clearly on his mind. Something that crossed Hatter's face when she even mentioned Jack. She looked up when she heard her mother clear her throat.

"Dinner is ready." Alice stood up quickly, she looked back to David who slowly stood. He walked forward, following Alice to the table.

"Did you leave your parents behind? When you came to America? " her mother asked as they had finished eating. They all sat there, ready for another conversation that didn't involve the great cooking or the way he had found Alice.

"I don't know." David said bluntly. He looked down at his hands now.

"Oh…any family?" Alice stared at her mother. She shook her head when her mother was clearly clueless to what was going on.

"I…don't know." he repeated, not looking up still.

"Why no-"she was cut off by Alice giving her a kick under the table. Her mother glared at her, but Alice silently motioned towards David. Her mother looked at him. She watched as his shoulders were fallen and his face was down looking at his fingers as he tried to hide the wave of sadness that had suddenly sent him under the water. "Oh…Sorry." David looked up to see her looking at her daughter, and Alice looking at him.

"No, it's fine." He nodded to her. "I, uh, I'm an only child. My parents are dead." His face was hardened. His voice sounded like he was reading from a textbook. Memorizing it for some kind of test that he hadn't studied for and was trying to prove he knew it. Her mother nodded, looking back at him.

"Well, thank you, for dinner." David said standing. He turned to Alice. "I'm glad you're alright. I wish you all the luck in the world, Alice." She froze. Her mouth open, but no words were coming out. _I wish you all the luck in the world…_ The words still echoed from when he had said them to her the first time. She watched as he smiled softly at her. He walked to the door, placing his hat on his head. And then he was gone.

Her mother sighed as she stood up, taking up plates. "What a sweet guy." She said, smiling at Alice. "I would like to know where Jack is. Hm…?" her mother walked into the kitchen. Alice heard the clinking of glass plates in the sink. Her mother's shoes against the floor.

"I have to go!" Alice said, standing up. She grabbed her coat as she threw open the door. "I'll be back mom, don't wait up!" and with this she went racing down the hall. She felt as if she was chasing after Jack again. Except this time…the person she was looking for was more important.

It didn't take long for her to find him. He was walking down the road, arms swinging slightly. He turned a corner as she started to call out his name. Alice stopped herself, instead she insisted on learning on where he was going. If he was only pretending to be someone around her mother. But, something about the way he acted. His memory of her was gone. Hatter seemed to be lost in this person of David. It suddenly hit her. A punch in the face, really. She didn't know what she was doing, but her legs seemed to want to walk.

Yes, he was here. He had come to her world for her. For pizza…and other things. But, he didn't remember. He didn't remember his name. He didn't remember Charlie. He didn't remember his tea shop. He didn't remember Wonderland. He didn't remember his hand.

He didn't remember her.

Then the tears came. They felt warm on her cheeks. No sound came from her lips. Silently she walked while the tears seemed to never end. She would try to wipe them away from her eyes before they escaped, only to be replaced by new ones. The knowledge of him being here, but that he wouldn't remember her was worse than thinking that he was something of her imagination.

She ached from the pain he was causing her. The pain she had just molded over from her father. And she hated him for it. Sudden rage gripped her. How could he not remember? How could he just stand there and look at her without feeling anything? He had been the one to say everything she did was wrong. Everything she had decided was a false move! That he had all the right answers and that she should trust him more!

She laughed bitterly at the thought of this. All the time he had gotten on to her about not trusting him, and now that she had trusted him like no one else…he was the only one who hadn't been there for her.

When her anger passed, the depression came back. She kicked herself for thinking he had just abandoned her. He had saved her life multiple times. He was the only one she could have trusted.

But, nothing could help her now. She was stuck. If she told him, he would think she was crazy. If she didn't tell him, he might never remember.

Eventually, she reached the park. Alice found a bench to sit on. There she sat, thinking. Now that she had lost him on the streets, she doubted she would find him again. Even if she did, what would she say? How could she go about striking up a conversation? What happens when he never remembered? If he was going to be David forever.

She sighed as she got up, realizing she had been out for almost an hour. Her mother would be worried, and she didn't want her to come out looking for her. She sighed as she let her mind think back to how things were going play out.

"Alice!" she looked up to see bright lights coming towards her.


End file.
